Research

Survey of NGOs on donors and sustainability

The WASH Sustainability Charter was published in 2011. About 100 organizations (including a few donors) endorsed it. We wondered – Did it influence how WASH interventions were funded? Did this in turn improve the services over time? This is the third year we’ve surveyed NGOs about how donors and funding mechanisms can affect the sustainability of water, sanitation and hygiene interventions.

Most respondents think donors are pretty good or okay at funding sustainable WASH services.

More than half of respondents said monitoring and/or evaluation after programs was underfunded.

While funders can be obstacles to sustainability, many respondents have donors that allow flexibility to innovate or adapt.

Despite the many challenges related to funding and sustainability, there is hope! For more details, read the full NGO survey report 2017(PDF 259KB).

Seeking Sanitation Successes

The sanitation sector has evolved over decades. While some attempts have been made to determine workable solutions, comparable information is scarce. This is an important gap to overcome – and quickly – because Sustainable Development Goal 6 aims “to ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all” in just 14 years. We reviewed the literature and interviewed experts to find long-term sanitation successes. Read more. Download our Seeking Sanitation Successes Report here.

Monitoring, Evaluation, Resolution, and Learning

The process of Monitoring, Evaluation, Resolution, and Learning (MERL) can contribute to improving past and future programs by examining and acting on factors of program success or failure. Through MERL, problems identified during monitoring or evaluation can be resolved and lessons incorporated into ongoing practices for improved development practice. This technical note presents an overview of MERL and highlights examples of “resolution” of problems in the WASH sector. Download the MERL Technical Note here.

Water and Sanitation Failures

Failures in water, sanitation, and hygiene have been documented for decades. Unfortunately, they are often the same failures. Donors and development organizations have a responsibility to the people they’re trying to help to learn from mistakes – not just from their own, but also from those of other organizations. Find water failure data here and sanitation failure data here.

Resolving problems with water systems

Resolution is the process of addressing problems with water systems or toilets. Such problems are often identified during monitoring or evaluation after a project, or possibly by the water and sanitation users. Resolution reflects the concept that the organizations that are made aware that water systems or toilets they built aren’t working are responsible for doing something. Read more